‘SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE” – which returned over the weekened after nearly three months off the air – has found its “Fauxbama.”

After a week of rumors and speculation, the role of Sen. Barak Obama went to “SNL” regular Fred Armisen, who is not black.

Armisen – who is part Japanese and Hispanic on his mother’s side – has played a range of ethnic types during six seasons on the show, including Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Larry King.

Because the show had been forced off the air by the TV writers’ strike during the presidential primaries, “SNL” has not had the opportunity to spoof Obama’s stampede to the front of the Democratic field.

After a long search both in and outside the cast, Armisen made his debut in an opening skit that made fun of the media’s love affair with the newcomer. Amy Poehler played Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Who would play Obama created a lot of interest because, whoever got the role would be playing a major part on the show for months to come – or longer, if Obama win the election.

Armisen was actually not given many lines in his debut sketch. It seemed the show’s writers are still trying to find a distinctive personality trait for Obama that can regularly be made into comedy.